The Federal Government, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to host the world’s largest technology fair, GITEX, for the first time in 2025.
The agreement was signed by the Director General and CEO of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, and Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of KAOUN International, the organizers of GITEX on Thursday.
Speaking on the significance of signing the MOU, Inuwa said, bringing GITEX to Nigeria would introduce the experience of the best tech conference to Nigeria.
He added that this strategic initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Agenda to reform the economy to deliver sustained growth.
Economic diversification
While noting that hosting the event would also help the country in diversifying its economy, the NITDA DG said:
“President Bola Tinubu is big and loud on trade and economic diversification, and you cannot trade in isolation. The President has mandated us to facilitate parts of this diversification,” said Inuwa.
He added that the President had also given a clear mandate to MDAs to actively facilitate and support initiatives that contribute to economic diversification in line with this administration’s redefined priority areas.
He said this includes fostering the development of new industries, promoting innovation, and creating an environment conducive to technological advancement.
Through Initiatives such as GITEX Nigeria, Inuwa said the government would be creating platforms for the tech ecosystem to showcase their talents to the world.
This will also project the country globally as a hub of innovation and creativity, he added.
Why Nigeria?
Explaining why Nigeria was considered to hold the global event, Trixie LohMirmand cited the impressive track record of Nigerian teams at GITEX pitch competitions.
She said Nigeria has positioned itself as the fastest-growing country for developers in Africa, with vast potential for untapped talent.
“By bringing GITEX to Nigeria, we aim to explore the country’s potential in sectors like AI, digital health, and fintech. The initiative aims to not only showcase local advancements but also integrate the Nigerian tech scene with the wider GITEX network, providing Nigerian startups with a platform to connect with new markets,” she said.
What you should know
GITEX Global is a tech expo held annually in Dubai, United Arab Emirates at Dubai World Trade Center. The event underpins the rapid technology-driven transformations, investments, and projects shaping the economies of the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
The event organisers launched the Africa edition of the expo, GITEX Africa, in 2023 and held the first edition in Morocco in partnership with Morocco’s Digital Development Agency. The second edition of the event is currently ongoing in Morrocco.
While a date for GITEX Nigeria has not been announced yet, NITDA said this agreement marks a significant step forward in positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global tech scene and affirming the President’s strong stance on economic diversification and international trade integration to drive a comprehensive strategy to transform Nigeria’s economy.
